U.S. President Donald Trump telephoned President Rodrigo Duterte Saturday evening to announce his visit to the Philippines in November for the East Asia Summit (EAS), according to the Philippines presidential office.
The phone call was received by the office of the president right after the Philippines hosted the 30th ASEAN Summit in Manila.
Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella quoted Trump as saying he would visit the Philippines as he is committed to the Philippine-U.S. alliance.
During the call Trump expressed hope to have an amiable working relationship with Duterte, according to Abella. "The ambit of the conversation between the two leaders includes the expression of commitment of U.S. President Trump to the Philippines-U.S. alliance and his interest in developing a warm, working relationship with President Duterte," he said.
The East Asia Summit includes the 10 ASEAN member states as well as the U.S., Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, and South Korea. It will be held in November, after the 31st ASEAN Summit.
Abella said during the call the two leaders again discussed Duterte's war on drugs.
He said the U.S. leader expressed "his understanding and appreciation of the challenges facing the Philippine president, especially on the matter of dangerous drugs."
Aside from the summit in November, the two leaders discussed "regional geo-political concerns," including the situation in the Korean Peninsula, which was also mentioned in the 30th ASEAN chairman's statement.
Abella said that Trump also invited Duterte to visit him at the White House.